Month: June 2024

Gaurav TaywadeDirector of Operations, Vicon As the security industry continues to evolve and new technologies emerge, it’s becoming increasingly important for security professionals to keep up with the latest advancements. One area that has seen significant innovation in recent years is video management solutions (VMS) – and when it comes to VMS, there are few companies with more heritage than Vicon Security, creators of the Valerus video management system. A History of Innovation Vicon Industries has been an industry leader for over 55 years, providing cutting-edge security solutions to tens of thousands of customers around the world. Vicon has seen the security industry go from analogue to digital, from physical to electronic, and from reactive to proactive. Throughout these changes, Vicon has been at the forefront of innovation, developing new products and services that have helped to shape the industry, from the first matrix switches that connected early analogue cameras to one another and made them easier to browse, to some of the first PTZ cameras that have since become an industry staple. They have been able to adapt to new technologies and new threats, and their experience has given them a deep understanding of what it takes to build effective security systems – and video management solutions are at the core of that. Vicon took its first steps into the world of VMS development in 2010 with ViconNet, a proprietary software platform for the management of analogue cameras that remains supported to this day. In 2016, Vicon launched its premier VMS solution for IP cameras – Valerus. The project was ambitious, but with such vast experience in the industry and key lessons learnt from the development of ViconNet, Vicon was quickly able to develop a strong foundation. Valerus has been developed entirely in India at their dedicated development center, showcasing their commitment to leveraging global talent and innovation. The power of Valerus Today, Valerus is a powerful VMS that provides end-to-end security solutions for a wide range of applications. With Valerus, security professionals can control not just their video feeds, but access control, automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR), vape detection, and more – all in one centralised platform. These features allow them to quickly and efficiently manage their security systems from a single pane of glass, ensuring the safety of their facilities and personnel without changing windows or systems, or undergoing any additional training. The system even allows for multi-site management, making it easy for security professionals to monitor and manage systems across multiple locations. With Valerus, security teams can centrally manage all their facilities, streamlining their security operations, and reducing costs. One of the key advantages of Valerus is its flexibility – and nowhere is this more true than in the alarm management suite. This robust, customisable platform can be tailored to suit the end user’s needs, helping them to quickly identify and respond to security incidents via real-time alerts and notifications. Users can even define procedures for each type of alert, helping the operator keep on top of what they need to do and when – from logging their findings on an audit trail to initiating site-wide or localised lockdowns. Valerus even goes above and beyond the call of duty with an in-built system health dashboard – providing proactive notifications to system administrators before a complete system failure, notifying them about potential system issues within seconds, making it an invaluable asset for addressing issues before they become problematic and costly. The power of A.I. Throughout its development, Valerus has always boasted a wealth of advanced video analytics capabilities, from object-based recording to motion sensing, line crossing, and loitering/ crowd detection. Combined with the VAX access control system and the robust alarm management suite, this has made automated security procedures a breeze and allowed operators to analyse video footage in real-time, detecting potential threats and alerting personnel before an incident occurs. This year, Vicon has bolstered that analytics package with one crucial addition – Artificial Intelligence. With Vicon’s AI-enhanced Roughneck camera range, users can utilise edge analytics to automatically classify individuals, vehicles, and animals, and set rules for each – such as recording at a higher resolution when a person comes into the frame to save on storage, or sending an alert to the operator when a vehicle enters out of hours. An AI-enhanced museum search within Valerus is also saving users valuable time. Now, investigations are as simple as selecting the area of interest, telling Valerus what you’re looking for (people, vehicles, animals etc.) and letting it find the crucial moment in time in seconds. To help reduce the total cost of ownership, all of this object classification happens within the camera itself – saving bandwidth, saving storage, and the total cost of ownership. Peace of mind In a world where technology seems to be evolving at an unfathomable rate, Vicon is keen on granting its customers stability and consistency wherever possible. By investing in an end-to-end system with VMS, cameras, and access control provided by Vicon, customers can take peace of mind in the knowledge that everything is designed to work together in harmony – and if it doesn’t, there’s only one number to call! For customers with an existing system, or users who want to create their own bespoke solution, Vicon proudly offers compatibility across a number of open platforms like Onvif to ensure their hardware plays nice with others. Cybersecurity is one of the biggest concerns for end-users of any IP security system. With the increasing frequency of cyber-attacks, it’s essential that security systems be secure and up-to-date. Valerus offers a perpetual licensing model, so customers don’t need to worry about their security system shutting down just because a card payment didn’t go through. In addition, Vicon provides firmware updates and bug fixes to Valerus users at no additional cost, ensuring that security systems are always up-to-date, security vulnerabilities are quickly identified and addressed, and the risk of cyber-attacks is minimized. Best in class VMS Thanks to these features and more, Valerus has been…

BY VEENA GUPTA, LL.B.Founder Seam Group Long bygone are the days when men used to be the sole bread winners of a family. Globalization has brought a radical change in the status of women worldwide. However, with the larger influx of women in the mainstream workforce of India, sexual harassment at workplace has assumed greater dimensions. Workplace sexual harassment is a form of gender discrimination which violates men/ women’s fundamental right to equality and right to life, guaranteed under Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution of India (Constitution). Workplace sexual harassment not only creates an insecure and hostile working environment for women but also impedes their ability to delivering in today’s competing world. Apart from interfering with their performance at work, it also adversely affects their social and economic growth and puts them through physical and emotional suffering. More than 40-60 percent of women face sexual harassment at workplace every year, and only a handful of them come out in the open and are brought to the notice of the Authorities. THE PoSH ACT India’s first legislation specifically addressing the issue of workplace sexual harassment – the Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (PoSH Act) was enacted on 9 December 2013. The Government also subsequently notified the rules under the PoSH Act titled the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Rules, 2013 (PoSH Rules). The year 2013 also witnessed the promulgation of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013 (Criminal Law Amendment Act). PoSH Act aims to ensure the safety of women in the workplace and protect them against sexual harassment. Sexual harassment not only violates a woman’s fundamental right to equality as per articles 14 and 15 of the constitution but also infringes upon her right to live with dignity and the right to practice any profession or carry on any occupation or business, which are guaranteed under articles 21 and 19 respectively. Furthermore, the right to work with dignity and protection of women against sexual harassment are basic human rights that are universally recognized by international conventions such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). It is important to note that the PoSH Act has also been ratified by the government of India, emphasizing the commitment to upholding these rights and ensuring a safe working environment for women. #ME TOO ‘Me Too’ empowers those who have been sexually assaulted through empathy, solidarity, and strength in numbers, by visibly demonstrating how many have experienced sexual assault and harassment, especially in the workplace. Though there is much more work to be done, the #MeToo movement has helped create some progress in terms of accountability for sexual harassment at the larger institutional level in male-dominated industries and organizations, which we have already noticed in the past years. .Since then, the #MeToo movement’s legacy has broadened to encompass issues related to gender equality in the workplace and legal reforms to eliminate barriers that had prohibited victims from coming forward. History – CASE LAW – Vishakha vs. State of Rajasthan This is a landmark judgment that led to the enactment of the PoSH Act. It dealt with, for the first time, the evil of sexual harassment of female employees at the workplace. The case of Bhanwari Devi was a tragic incident that shed light on the challenges faced by women, especially those from marginalized communities, in seeking justice and protection from sexual violence. Bhanwari Devi’s courageous efforts to prevent a child marriage resulted in her facing brutal gang rape and subsequent mistreatment by both the community and authorities. The mishandling of her case by the police, delayed medical examination, and the acquittal of the accused due to lack of evidence highlighted systemic failures in addressing gender-based violence and ensuring justice for survivors. The subsequent protests and legal actions, including the filing of a writ petition by the women’s rights group Vishaka, underscored the importance of upholding basic human rights and constitutional protections for women in India. The momentous Vishaka case led to the Supreme Court issuing guidelines for the first time on the issue that emphasized the responsibility of companies to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace and establish mechanisms for addressing and resolving such incidents. This case and its aftermath have played a significant role in shaping laws and policies aimed at combating sexual harassment and promoting gender equality in India. The Vishaka Guidelines define sexual harassment to include unwelcome sexually determined behaviour such as: The court emphasized that sexual harassment can create a hostile work environment and may not necessarily involve physical contact. The guidelines aim to protect individuals from such behavior and ensure a safe working environment. It is important to note that reporting incidents of sexual harassment may require courage from the victim and should be addressed promptly by the compliance mechanism. Amendment Act 2024 (Latest) The Private Member Bill introduced by Dr. Sasmit Patra in February 2024 aims to amend the PoSH Act 2013. This bill seeks to enhance measures addressing sexual harassment and update existing laws to better align with the evolving needs of society. It is important to highlight that the Amendment Bill of 2024 has not yet undergone discussions or approval in both houses of parliament, nor has it received the necessary presidential assent to officially become an Amendment. Consequently, the bill remains pending, with the objective of modifying two sections of The Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act, 2013. The current Amendment Bill of 2024 seeks to prolong the established time limit of 3 (three) months for filing a sexual harassment complaint to 1 (one) year from the date of the incident, and in the case of a series of incidents, within 1 (one) year from the date of the last incident. PoSH Act, Gender Bias & Misuse of the Act The discussion of gender equality’s importance and the right to equality has highlighted society’s bias. In recent years this Act is being used as an…

Lt Gen A B Shivane,PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd)Former Director General – Mechanised Forces,Presently Strategic Advisor to Chairman CAPSI Suraksit Bharat for Viksit Bharat In the vision of Viksit Bharat of India, the evolution of a robust citizen security culture stands as the critical path of Suraksit Bharat. It emerges as a beacon of hope amidst the complexities of its socio-political landscape and escalating security threats. Embracing the ideals of justice, equity, and dignity, the nation grapples with the imperative of safeguarding its citizens from diverse threats and vulnerabilities. The recent bomb hoax calls in schools, malls and air flights have highlighted the inadequacy of response and lack of security consciousness among the citizens. If it would not have been a hoax the consequences would have been disastrous. Must we wait for it to happen? The recent spate of terror attacks in the Jammu sector in the recent times is a stark reminder of the dark shadow of terrorism on soft targets with high visibility and payoffs. As citizens we need to introspect and asses if we are security conscious and responsible? Is it a cultural deficit that exposes our vulnerability both to the escalating kinetic and non-kinetic threat? The path to Viksit Bharat requires sustainable citizen security. Empowering communities is the cornerstone of sustainable citizen security. Empowering communities requires a National Citizen’s Security Culture (NCSC) for which the Private Security Industry along with MHA can provide yeoman service to the nation. Accordingly a novel initiative was launched by Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI) under the vision of its Chairman Kunwar Vikram Singh in March 2024. The first round table conference on 15 March 2024 was accordingly convened to deliberate and evolve a strategic construct for its manifestation. CAPSI thus has taken the lead to empower the nation and its citizen’s by evolving a National Citizen’s Security Culture. The Critical Security Deficit Gap With a crime rate rising faster than the population growth rate, new threats are emerging and challenging national security. In 2023 the total cognisable crimes were 58,24,946 against a population of 1.44 billion making the crime rate 422.2 per lakh persons. This is certainly very high and thus India ranks 79 among 197 countries in an assessment of crime rates by country in 2024. The public-to-police ratio at 152.80 per lakh against 222 per lakh defined by the UN shows how understaffed India stands and exposes citizens’ safety. Thus a critical security vulnerability gap exists. Bridging this gap is the responsibility of the Private Security Industry with a one crore workforce that must harness citizens as an extension of their arm to exhibit security consciousness as a culture. This would help create an environment where individuals can thrive, families can feel safe, and communities can flourish. This requires an expanded role of the PSI along with its transformation and technology integration to remain ready and relevant for the future. The national chorus must be – ‘Stay Alert – Stay Safe.’ After all, security is everyone’s responsibility. The Need for National Citizen’s Security Culture India needs to evolve its National Citizen’s Security Culture for several reasons: Challenges to Citizen’s Security “The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members” – Mahatma Gandhi India confronts a myriad of challenges in fostering a National Citizen Security Culture, including resource constraints, social fragmentation, institutional weaknesses, public security mechanism inadequacies, and technological disparities. The allocation of limited resources towards security initiatives often exacerbates socio-economic disparities and undermines the accessibility of justice for marginalized communities. Moreover, divisive forces fuelled by religious, ethnicity, and regional identities perpetuate social tensions and erode trust in institutions, posing formidable obstacles to inclusive security governance. Chanakya had stated four types of threats to a nation: Today, India faces all. They are both kinetic and non-kinetic in nature, which impact a citizen directly. They may be caused by inner political turmoil, or provoked, prompted or proxied by an enemy country, perpetrated even by such groups that use a failed, failing or weak state, causing insurgency, terrorism or any other subversive acts that target innocent citizens, cause animosity between and amongst groups of citizens and communities intended to cause or causing violence, destroy or attempt to destroy public and private establishments. Besides cyber-attacks, electronic warfare, psychological operations, data manipulation and misinformation campaigns are some of the faces of non-kinetic threats. Understanding Citizen Security in the Indian Context “Security is not a privilege; it is a fundamental right that every citizen deserves and must drive” In the Indian context, citizen security encompasses a broad spectrum of concerns ranging from traditional crime rates and communal tensions to emerging challenges posed by cyber threats and environmental degradation. Beyond the realm of physical safety, it embodies the aspirations of individuals to lead lives free from fear, discrimination, and violence. The quest for citizen security transcends geographical boundaries, cultural divides, and socioeconomic disparities, underscoring the need for a cohesive and inclusive approach towards its realization. National Citizen’s Security Culture refers to the shared values, norms, beliefs, attitudes, behaviours and actions of citizens and society that promote the protection and preservation of a nation’s security interests and the safety of its citizens. It elicits curiosity that exhibits security consciousness as a moral responsibility in a day-to-day schedule. The key challenge remains the ‘Cultural Change.’ Culture is changing the behavioural design. Tiny habits and small changes may change everything. So, behaviour equals a combination of motivation, ability, and prompts at the time of the behaviour. Fogg’ model explains that behaviour happens when motivation, ability and prompt come together at the same time. Motivation can range from low to high. Ability can range from being something very hard to do to something very easy to do. And then the prompt is something internal or external that says, all right, we want you to do this thing. Expectations from Citizen’s as Stakeholders of NCSC The expectations are very elementary in terms of following, reporting, providing and leading: Ends, Ways…